Method of operating hydrocarbon-burners.



No. 663,8I3. Patented Dec. ll, I900. G. A. LOEBEN. METHOD OF OPERATING HYDBOCARBON BURNERS.

(Application filed Nov. 6, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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No. 663,8!3. Patented Dec. H, I900. G. A. LOEBEN, METHOD OF OPERATING HYDROQARBON BURNERS.

(Application filed Nov. 8, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Shut 2.

(No Model.)

0 0 m. r a. n d e t n 6 t a P N E B E 0 L A G 3 7 3 6 6 n N METHOD OF OPERATING HYDROCARBUN BURNERS.

(Application filed Nov. 6, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Shae? 3.

(No Model.)

ma NORRIS PETERS ca. PNOTOLITHOU WASHINGTON, a. c.

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GUSTAVE A. LOEBEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT L. A. TOBOLDT, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF OPERATING HYDROCARBON-BURNERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,813, dated December 1 1, 1900.

Original application filed February 4, 1899, Serial No. 704,660. Divided and this application filed November 6, 1900- Serial No. 35,636. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUsrAvn A. LOEBEN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, (but having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States,) and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Operating Hydrocarbon-Burners, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to secure and maintain a constant pressure upon fluid in a reservoir. This object I attain by producing the pressure through the expansion of fluid by heat and automatically governing the flow of the fluid to the tube or chamber called the generator,so that an even pressure is maintained.

My invention is especially applicable to the reservoirs of burners which use hydrocarbons or other fluids capable of being gasified.

I have shown in theaccoinpanying drawings the application of my invention to illuminating-lamps; but it will be understood that the invention may be applied to the reservoirs for burners used for heating purposes or to reservoirs containing other liquids in which pressure is desired.

The present application relates to the process for carrying myinvention into effect, and the companion application, filed February 4:, 1899, Serial No. 704,550, of which this is a division, relates to the mechanism for carrying out the process. 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a View in diagram, illustrating one form of apparatus for carrying out my process. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating another form of apparatus, illustrating a separate container for holding liquids. Fig. 3 is a view showing a central supply-tank connected to a number of supply-pipes. Fig. 4. is a view of a lamp, illustrating my improved process; and Figs. 5 and 6 are views of modifications of the apparatus for carrying out the process.

Referring in the first instance to Fig; 1, A is a reservoir 'or container for liquid capable of being volatilized by heat. E is a generator in the present instance a coil of tubing which is subjected to heat in any manner. Thus in Fig. l I have shown a burner D for this purpose which may be of any suitable construction. B is a regulator placed between the reservoir A and the generator for regulating the flow of fluid to the generator from the reservoir, a tube a leading from the reservoir to the regulator, and a tube 6 leading from the regulator to the generator, while a tube e connects the generator with the upper portion of the reservoir. A delivery-pipe a may lead from the reservoir to any point at which it is desired to use the liquid under pressure. The regulator B may be of any form. Thus I have shown in detail in Fig. 4:

a float-regulator, while a diaphragurregulator I is shown in some of the other figures. A common form of said diaphragmregulator is shown in detail in Fig. 6, where P indicates the diaphragm carrying valve 6, similarly located to the said valve, Fig. 4, the liquidinlet pipe being designated by the letterct and the outlet from the pressure-chamber by e, while the usual spring 5 is shown encircling the diaphragm-rod.

The operation of the device shown in Fig. l is as follows: The reservoir is charged with liquid-for instance, some suitable hydrocarbonand the generator E is heated until the air in the tubes expands to produce pressure upon the liquid in the reservoir. The valve 0. is then opened, allowing the liquid to pass to the regulator B and through the tube 6 to the generator, wherein it will be volatilized, and the pressure in the reservoir A will grad ually increase and the valve of the regulator will gradually close the passage leading to the generator, owing to such increase of pressure. When the pressure reaches the predetermined limit, the valve of the regulator will entirely close the passage and remain in this position until the pressure in the reservoir decreases, when the valve will again open the passage, allowing more fluid to enter the generator. If the outflow from the reservoir is uniform, as in a lamp, Fig. 4, constant uniform pressure will be maintained in the reservoir.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a pipe a leading from the top of the reservoir A to a reservoir A, which may contain liquid other than that capable of being volatilized.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a lamp embodying my invention. A is the reservoir, from which extends a pipe a, connected to the inlet b of the regulator B. This regulator is in the present instance of the float type, having a valve 19, attached to a lever b, coupled to a float h The valve can be adjusted by removing the plug in the bottom of the inlet 12 and turning the valve, which is in the form of a screw. 1) is the outlet, to which is connected a tube 61, having a valved. This tube d is connected by a branch (1 with a burner D. This burner in the present instance is so constructed that the liquid in passing through the burner to the outlet will be gasified. The burner has a suitable valve (i for regulating the flow of gas. Above the burner in the present instance is an incandescent mantle 0, carried by a support 0 of the ordinary type. Coupled to the pipe d is a tube 6, extending to the generator E. This generator in the present instance is simply a continuation of this tube, coiled in any suitable form directly above the mantle and within the heat zone of the same. The tube is extended in the form of a branch 6' and attached to the upper portion of the reservoir A. e is a valve to regulate the flow of the liquid through the tube 6. In this View I have shown a gage Fand a safety-valve G, attached to the upper portion of the reservoir A, and fis a capped opening through which the reservoir can be charged with liquid. In operating this lamp the reservoir is charged with any suitable ignitible fluid, such as any of the ordinary hydrocarbons, and the space between the valves 01, (Z and e is heated by a torch, for instance, the valve 61 being closed. The liquid in this portion of the tube will be heated and in time gasified, and the gas escaping from the burner can be then ignited, heating the mantle to incandescence, and the liquid flowing into the generator will be at once gasified and pressure developed in the upper portion of the reservoir. In some cases the air in the generator may be heated at first so that the expanded air will create acertain pressure on the liquid in the reservoir prior to the gasifying of the liquid passing through the pipe 6. As the pressure in the reservoir increases,the float in the regulator will be raised and will reduce the passage leading to the burner and the generator, and when the pressure reaches the point at which the regulator is set the flow of liquid will 'be entirely out off, and as the liquid is further gasified the Above the float is an air-chamber.-

reservoir coupled to a number or outletssuch, for instance, as in a building using one reservoirfor a number of hydrocarbon-burners. In this event a special burner D is arranged to heat the expander. A diaphragm regulator is shown in this instanceinstead of the float-regulator shown in Fig. 4. A pipe A leads from the reservoir A to the series of branch pipes having any of the ordinary forms of burners attached.

In Fig. 5 Ihave shown an instance in which the main reservoir A is below the burner and the generator, and in this case an auxiliary reservoir A is used,which is connected to the regulator B, and this regulator in turn is connected to the gasifier E. In the present instance this gasifier is in the form of a chamber. A tube e forms a communication between the generating-chamber and the top of the auxiliary reservoir A A pipe leads from the top of the auxiliary reservoir A to the top of the main reservoir A, and a tube 61 leads from the bottom of the main reservoir A to the burner.

In Fig. 6 I have shown one form of my device as applied to a street-lamp. In this instance the main reservoir A is at one side of the lamp-casing and has a tube d connecting directly with the burner D and a tube a connecting with the regulator B. Extending from this regulator is a tube 2, connecting with the generator E, which is in the form of a coil, and this generator is connected with a pressure-chamber E through a pipe 6 and this pressure-chamber is connected in turn to the top of the reservoir A by a pipe 6 It will be observed from the foregoing description that the fluid in the generator is gasified by the action of the heat from the burner, thus generating a pressure which acts on the surface of the liquid in the reservoir, and, through the medium of the regulator, thereby automatically controls the pressure for feeding the liquid to the burner.

The generating device at the burner for vaporizing the volatile liquid, which may be termed the first generator, has, it will be noted, connections common to itself and the tank, while the generator, which may be termed the second generator, has a tube or passage leading into the tank.

It will be understood that many modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art-as, for instance, in heating-furnaces the arrangement of the parts will be different; but the tube leading into the supply-tank and forming in a part of its length the generator must be so placed in reference to some heat-producer as to properly perform its function, and the regulator must beso situated that the pressure will be automatically controlled.

I claim as my invention- 1. The method of operatinga burner, which consists in vaporizing a hydrocarbon or other suitable volatile liquid for consumption, next generating by heat a pressure for feeding said 4. The process herein described of securing and maintaining constant pressure in a reservoir, which consists in vaporizing by heat an expansible fluid from said reservoir to obtain a pressure therein, conducting said vapor to the reservoir, and automatically controlling the flow of fluid prior to its vaporization.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GUSTAVE A. LOEBEN.

Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, J 0s. H. KLEIN. 

